My neighbour has complained 😔

[Chicalina]

I've just got a letter from the local council saying a neighbour has complained about my early morning crowing cockerel.

I've kept chickens here for 15 years and no complaints until now. I'm really annoyed and disappointed that they didn't come to me first to talk about it rather than go straight to the local noise police.

I live in a rural community where the houses are fairly close together in a village, but there are fields all around and 2 working farms within 100 yards! I'm also not the only chicken keeper here.

Any tips for handling the situation?

I want to knock on all my neighbours' doors and ask if it was them and what I can do to resolve it. Not sure that is a good idea.

I've had this particular silkie rooster for 5 years and he isn't especially noisy. I've got chicks growing out and some of them are cockerels, so they will be crowing until I find new homes. And I wanted to keep one little bantam.

I've listed my rooster online for sale. Sad to break up the lovely flock I've got. He is great with the hens. Am I being too hasty?

Is it realistic to shut him in a dark box every night instead?

 

[Duckbreeder2020]

I would go and try to talk to the neighbors before you make any suggestions

 

[LaFleche]

Have a look into you local laws and ordinances to learn about your rights.

Living in a rural community with neighbouring two working farms might just have your local council dismiss the complaint.

 

[NatJ]

I live in a rural community where the houses are fairly close together in a village, but there are fields all around and 2 working farms within 100 yards! I'm also not the only chicken keeper here.

What rules are there? In the USA, where I live, I would have to check rules for the state, the county, the village, and possibly HOA (Home Owners Association.) I see that you are in the UK, so I don't know what levels of rules you you would need to check.

Check for rules about poultry, livestock, and noise.

If you are allowed to have roosters, then finding a way to keep him quiet until a reasonable time in the morning should be enough. (Maybe keep him inside your house at night? That would certainly help contain the sound.)

If you are officially not allowed to have roosters, then finding him a new home is probably best.

 

[LaFleche]

I'm also not the only chicken keeper here.

How do they know it is your rooster then? Or did they add a record of each and every crow, noting the time of day etc.?

 

[CluckerFamily]

I personally would call the number in the letter to ask specific questions as to if the complainer is confused as to where the crowing is coming from (your flock or the others or the farms).

 

[KingD]

I've just got a letter from the local council saying a neighbour has complained about my early morning crowing cockerel.

I've kept chickens here for 15 years and no complaints until now. I'm really annoyed and disappointed that they didn't come to me first to talk about it rather than go straight to the local noise police.

I live in a rural community where the houses are fairly close together in a village, but there are fields all around and 2 working farms within 100 yards! I'm also not the only chicken keeper here.

Any tips for handling the situation?

I want to knock on all my neighbours' doors and ask if it was them and what I can do to resolve it. Not sure that is a good idea.

I've had this particular silkie rooster for 5 years and he isn't especially noisy. I've got chicks growing out and some of them are cockerels, so they will be crowing until I find new homes. And I wanted to keep one little bantam.

I've listed my rooster online for sale. Sad to break up the lovely flock I've got. He is great with the hens. Am I being too hasty?

Is it realistic to shut him in a dark box every night instead?

Hmm yeh it is a problem in this country with houses so close together.
Our old neighbors called the police on us because our hens started digging in their flower bed, like seriously guys, just tell us about it first.
The good thing about hens is that they don't crow. Is it going to be a huge issue to get rid of your cockerel? Might be the only option. I'm not a fan of crow collars, plus they don't really work.

British police won't bother with it so it's more just a case of keeping a good relationship with the neighbors I guess.

Good luck anyway.

 

[Chicalina]

How do they know it is your rooster then? Or did they add a record of each and every crow, noting the time of day etc.?

I don't know. It is hard to guess without knowing who it was who complained. I would imagine I am the nearest one to them with a cockerel. I've asked the council for more details, which they probably won't provide.

 

[Chicalina]

I personally would call the number in the letter to ask specific questions as to if the complainer is confused as to where the crowing is coming from (your flock or the others or the farms).

I've emailed them asking for more info (was too angry and upset to have a sensible phone call without sounding like a loon)

 

[Chicalina]

Hmm yeh it is a problem in this country with houses so close together.
Our old neighbors called the police on us because our hens started digging in their flower bed, like seriously guys, just tell us about it first.
The good thing about hens is that they don't crow. Is it going to be a huge issue to get rid of your cockerel? Might be the only option. I'm not a fan of crow collars, plus they don't really work.

British police won't bother with it so it's more just a case of keeping a good relationship with the neighbors I guess.

Good luck anyway.

Called the police on your hens? That's ridiculous.

Yeah I wouldn't use a crow collar either.

I'm extra pissed off because both sides to me have dogs that bark all day and I've never complained about them. I try to be a good neighbour, taking in parcels, being pleasant, bringing my dogs in if they bark, etc. Why couldn't they just come to me about this, the cowards. My next door neighbour even cut my fence down and burned it and I said I'd replace it, rather than him, just to keep the peace.